Well, I am in a divorce right now due to Domestic Violence. I have been living in a D. V homeless shelter with my 3 kids ages 12yrs, 2 yrs and 1 yr. old, for approx. 5 months now and the ex is continuing to damage my credit by default and on purpose.

LAst year, I found out he was working under my SS# and collecting Unemployment and shortly after had filed a restraining order for other issues as well. By that point though, I had no acounts w/ him, but obviously depended upon his income (which I thought was legit) to pay for the bills (I have beeen a stay at home parent for approx 5 yrs.) Also, I found out that he had hacked two of my CC accounts online-even though he was never a joint or AU on any of my cards-changed my billing address and phone # and I had those cards 'lost or stolen' , but still the cards could do nothing other than CLOSE those cards and reissue new ones......

My credit score was 702 and 697 in justOctober 2009....it is now 517 and 472 as of April 2010!!! All because of one collection (from the light bill of $124.00) and two 60 days late on CC's.........OMG!!!!

How do I stop the bleeding!?

I have called the cards and they don't really want to (or 'can't ' work with me), two cards already closed- (Target and HSBC), because of this jerk......

I can't get out of the shelter because no apartments will look at me even with my situation because of my FICO's and have even been turned down for employment due to my scores!

How can I start to re-build after this? Seems like it's just going to keep getting worse! I have been an avid poster and my FICO participant for years and to have this happen to me is unbelievable!!

(Took me 3 yrs to build it up from a mid- 500 score to the 702.....now what? where do I begin?

IOBA is right. You need to file legal identity theft charges. Only then, with a police report, will some of these companies start to work with you.

Is your name off of ALL accounts? Don't worry about accounts closing...YOU should be closing them. Now.

The only way to stop the bleeding is to stop the possibility of further damage. If this abuse continues, you will have a hand in it if you don't sever all financial ties.

Homeless shelters are used to finding housing for women with no or bad credit. They should be able to help you. As to employment, you may have to sling hamburgers, but that's how many of us started. There are lots of jobs that don't check credit.

This won't get better until you decide to own the situation and start making moves in the right direction. No one else can come in and fix this for you. Every step has to come from you. So...start steppin!

Well, I am in a divorce right now due to Domestic Violence. I have been living in a D. V homeless shelter with my 3 kids ages 12yrs, 2 yrs and 1 yr. old, for approx. 5 months now and the ex is continuing to damage my credit by default and on purpose.

LAst year, I found out he was working under my SS# and collecting Unemployment and shortly after had filed a restraining order for other issues as well. By that point though, I had no acounts w/ him, but obviously depended upon his income (which I thought was legit) to pay for the bills (I have beeen a stay at home parent for approx 5 yrs.) Also, I found out that he had hacked two of my CC accounts online-even though he was never a joint or AU on any of my cards-changed my billing address and phone # and I had those cards 'lost or stolen' , but still the cards could do nothing other than CLOSE those cards and reissue new ones......

How do I stop the bleeding!?

I have called the cards and they don't really want to (or 'can't ' work with me), two cards already closed- (Target and HSBC), because of this jerk......

IMO you need to start being proactive and stop being just a passive victim. In other words, fight back!

Working while collecting unemployment is a crime in almost every state. The unemployment office has someone who handles fraud and you should be calling them. It will be really difficult for your husband to hack into your accounts -- or worse -- while in jail, wouldn't it?

Another thing that may help is by filing a police report on his fraudulent use of your accounts. Police are reluctant to even take a report if it involves a husband / wife issue, but at least force them to take a report. Having a police report should help with your creditors, but in some states and under some circumstances you would still be liable for the debts.

Any account that he is a joint user on needs to be cancelled. Any account that is in your name, but he is obligated to pay (utilities come to mind) needs to be cancelled.

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